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Android L’s secret identity may have just been revealed by an unlikely source

Published Oct 13th, 2014 9:05AM EDT
What Does Android L Stand For

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What does Android L stand for? Unless the man behind Google’s gigantic Android sculptures is bluffing, it looks like the answer is “Licorice.” Giovanni Calabrese, the head of sculpting firm Themendous that has designed large Android sculptures for Google in the past, has been leaving cryptic messages all week about traveling out to Google’s headquarters this week and building a new edifice for the company. Most tellingly, Calabrese has mentioned licorice on multiple occasions, which strongly implies that it will be the name of Google’s next mobile platform release.

MORE ANDROID L NAME SPECULATION: Lemon Meringue Pie?

“I never had a great liking for Licorice, but damn! There are some great flavors out there!” he wrote on October 7th on his Google+ page.

Calabrese also wrote that while boarding the plane to fly to Google’s headquarters this week, he was asked by the Travel Security Administration why he had so many boxes of licorice in his bag. He also said that he handed out boxes of licorice to people at the boarding gate.

While it’s certainly possible that this is just an elaborate ruse on Calabrese’s part, we don’t see why Google would go to the trouble of having its sculptor lie about Android L’s actual name, especially since it’s not a crucial secret to Android’s success.

Brad Reed
Brad Reed Staff Writer

Brad Reed has written about technology for over eight years at BGR.com and Network World. Prior to that, he wrote freelance stories for political publications such as AlterNet and the American Prospect. He has a Master's Degree in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University.